Small Businesses

Build my Business by Offering Free Stuff? Why?

October 16, 2009 By Administrator

By Judy Vorfeld
mossylog-2

Do you want a Web site that generates more business? That’s what most of us want. Once I decided to create and manage my own Web site, I began studying how to build a site that would reach out and touch potential clients.

As I immersed myself in cyber-information, one phrase kept popping up: “give free stuff.” At first, this turned me off. Giving something free sounded like a gimmick. Then I realized that the information I used to learn HTML, Web architecture, and marketing techniques was almost all free: tutorials, graphics, site analyzers, graphics crunchers, message boards, etc.

Having time but no money, I began searching for a give-away…something for my visitors. Finally, I invented Webgrammar, a woman willing to encourage people with problems in grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization, and usage. Further, she would provide links to sites and articles helpful to Web designers, students, educators, and writers.

My Internet business began taking off once I created Webgrammar’s Place. But I had more to learn. I kept hearing from respected Internet leaders that being part of a vibrant Internet community is as important as offering something free. Networking. (Network locally, too.) This is a valuable marketing tool that far too many people unknowingly dismiss.

And there’s even more: if you offer a quality product or service, prove it. Reveal that yours is a business site, especially the first page first screen. Clearly explain your business. Describe how you can help potential clients with their problems…their challenges. Let them know you understand their perspectives. I know, I know…it’s not easy!

Tie in your free offerings as part of your product or service. Please don’t plaster free offering boxes and phrases all over that important piece of real estate while inserting a weak little sentence that says, "…by the way, just in case you’re interested, I’m a marketing coach."

Take free stuff, networking, and clear definition and blend them with patience, hard work, and a sense of humor. You may be pleasantly surprised.

For more information, contact Judy Vorfeld.

Is a Sig/Tag Line Valuable?

October 3, 2009 By Administrator

By Judy Vorfeld

Have you been hearing about the importance of having of a good e-mail signature line (sig line / tag line / sig file), but you don’t have a clue as to how to create one?

Never fear! It takes time, but it will come. By incorporating several pieces of information, you can benefit from a signature line in ways that may amaze you.

When I started on the Internet, I didn’t have a signature line. After studying the comments of people in newsgroups, I noticed many of them using at least one line to give more information about their businesses. The brief phrases generally seemed to be slogans, but on closer study, many of them were not: they were part of the business’s USP (Unique Selling Proposition).

How can you do this? It begins with studying your niche . . . what sets you apart from other similar businesses in the eyes of the reader, potential client, or those who will refer others to you. Just as you think constantly of customer/client needs when crafting the words on your website, so must you think of these people when crafting your USP.

You can certainly say something that will make people want to ask more about your business, but be careful not to be too clever. You have a global audience, and some common American phrases are not understood in many parts of the world.

My first tag line was something like:

Judy Vorfeld, Office Support Services
Typing, Training, and Troubleshooting

There it was: my name, business name, and what I did. Wasn’t that enough? Nope. Lots of people type, train, and troubleshoot. People didn’t understand my clever little phrase. This was my first clue that something was missing. I needed a different approach, both locally and on the Internet.

Little by little I learned that there must be reasons for every word and digit in the signature line, and that by carefully crafting every part of it, I’m now better able to describe my business. Later, my major sig line reads as follows:

Judy Vorfeld – mailto:oss@ossweb.com
Office Support Services – https://www.ossweb.com
Online & Document Editor – Web Analyst & Renovator
Webgrammar – http://www.webgrammar.com
Arizona Phone: 623-876-8168 || eFax 801-720-4333

My second sig line is reserved when I send comments directly to newsgroups they generally restrict the sig line to 3-4 lines:

Judy Vorfeld – mailto:oss@ossweb.com https://www.ossweb.com
Copyediting, Web Design, Renovation, & Analysis

Then I went to the sig line below.

Judy Vorfeld – Editing and Writing Services – Arizona (623) 876-8168
www.EditingAndWritingServices.com | mailto:jv@EditingAndWritingServices.com
www.ossweb.com &nbs; | mailto:judyvorfeld@ossweb.com
www.webgrammar.com | mailto:judyvorfeld@webgrammar.com

Wait, Judy, you say. What or who is Webgrammar? Years ago, when I started on the Web, I invented Webgrammar as a way to help people with grammar, research, education, etc. It was first a part of ossweb.com, but later I bought a separate domain name, and later had it trademarked. A number of organizations and schools use Webgrammar as a resource. I created The Writing Center, and then duplicated it when I began the Editing and Writing Services website. So now, I have The Writing Center in two places, where it helps people with writing and research issues.

Back to sig/tag lines. In October, 2009, I’m using this:

Judy Vorfeld – mailto:judyvorfeld@gmail.com
www.EditingAndWritingServices.com
A division of Office Support Services
BLOG: https://www.ossweb.com
Peoria, Arizona

It’s a digital evolution out there! You may have noticed that I don’t use my phone number in the latest sig line. Yep. I have such a hearing loss that I’m likely to miss something important. That said, I do have an assistive phone (one that keeps breaking down) and I can talk on the phone. It’s just a risk with all the types of phones being used these days, and I don’t want to miss a word of what my clients have to say.

But, Judy, didn’t you use Twitter in your sig line? Yes, for about a year. And while I have a link to Twitter in my blog, after a year I saw no value in keeping it in the sig line. The people with whom I correspond don’t care. That said, some people find value in my Tweets, which are mostly brief grammar and style tips.

If you have a website with any kind of business purpose behind it, do sit down and sweat out your Unique Selling Proposition, creating a clear, effective USP. Brainstorm with friends and family. Or with me. Even if it takes days, or weeks, it will be worth it . . . and you may find that in time you can make it better.

Use it with every e-mail. There are many similarities between sig lines and websites. Be considerate of the other party. If you’re writing to someone regularly, and they suddenly decide to go to your site or give your Web address to someone else – but can’t remember your Web address (URL) – make it easy for them. They should be able to go to any of your previous letters and find that URL. It’s good business practice to leave plenty of information.

If you network often on the Internet (and I strongly recommend it), a good sig line with a clear USP should help increase your credibility, your visibility . . . and your business. It works for me!

For more information, contact Judy Vorfeld

How to Start a Virtual Assistance Business: Overview

September 21, 2009 By Administrator

By Judy Vorfeld catfish

Are you a brand-new Virtual Assistant? Did you spend a lot of time planning this move, or did something happen and you suddenly decided to take the plunge? Let’s talk about how you can build a solid business. One you’ll enjoy. Before we begin, let me mention three things you need: (1) to be passionate about owning and operating a VA business, (2) the ability to market yourself well, and (3) money (budget).

Money? Can’t you just sit in a corner of your bedroom with your computer and phone and go about your work? Sure. Sit anywhere you like. But if you want to build a business that will sparkle and eventually show a profit, you need enough money to finance your business structure. Like equipment. Connectivity. Website. Supplies. Professional dues.

Website

A few years ago, having a website didn’t make that much difference when starting and operating a VA business. These days, it could make a significant difference. But not just any website. You want a site that is visitor-centric and written for search engines. One that works on all major browsers. It doesn’t have to be fancy, but it should be sleek. You can go the online brochure route or have an interactive site, but make it outstanding.

Tip: look at investing in a website the same way you’d invest in a home or a car. You didn’t just buy your home: you committed to paying taxes on it, as well as furnishing, maintaining, and insuring it. You didn’t just buy a car: you committed to keeping the gas tank full, as well as registering, maintaining, and insuring it.

Choose a good domain name and a reputable website host. And if you need to hire someone to create it for you, do not use your cousin, neighbor, or the techie from work. Unless he (or she) is very good and very available. And if he’s good: pay him what he’s worth. Many Webmasters vanish after six months or so of working for no pay.

After you’ve launched your site, you may want to ask others to assess its effectiveness, but do it carefully and with people who’ll provide valuable feedback. If you participate in online discussion lists and decide to ask for a website critique, pray that even one expert will take the time to point out areas needing improvement. And if your prayers are answered, don’t be thin-skinned. These generous people aren’t charging you a cent, and their tips could mean the difference between a website that fizzles and one that sizzles.

Pour everything you have into the website, and then go out and promote it like crazy. Create beautiful bookmarks and give generous amounts to bookstores (new and used) and libraries. Pass out business cards and bookmarks wherever you go. In the supermarket. At PTA meetings. Insert a biz card each time you pay a bill, and pen “Thanks” on it. Use your imagination. You never know whose mother-in-law or best friend’s brother’s dad might be looking for a VA!

Here’s a tip: never say “This site is designed to be read at 0000 x 0000 in I.E. (or any other browser).” This is very un-cool. It un-rocks. In effect, you’re telling people with other resolutions and browsers to go jump in the lake.

Operations

One of the finest small business resources available is IVAA member Janet Attard. (There are many others.) Her site, Business Know-How, has a special start-up section. Since you’re going to need a business plan and a marketing plan, start with Attard’s site. And bookmark it.

If you plan to work locally as well as virtually, study your community to determine the need for your type of services. If, at any time, you’re not sure of the focus of your business, brainstorm with people who have business savvy. Once you have a focus, you may want more education and training. IVAA has a powerful VA certification program, and increasing numbers of community colleges in the U.S. and Canada are offering Virtual Assistant certification. It’s worth investigating.

In order to grow in your VA endeavors, you’ll want to network regularly. Particularly online. Surround yourself with people who can get to know, trust, and respect you.

You’ll need the following during the planning stages:

Budget
Business name
Business plan
Courage
Fee structure
Good proposal/contract form
Initial promotional material (website, brochure, flyer, press release, business cards, letterhead, envelopes, etc.)
Marketing plan
Sense of humor
Software, hardware, and connectivity

Marketing yourself

Successfully operating a VA business depends as much on personal characteristics as on technical skill and talent. How do you describe yourself? What motivates you? What are your strengths and weaknesses? How can your strengths help potential clients?

In addition to a good product, prospective clients look for integrity and dependability. Most data passing through our hands is, to one degree or another, confidential. You must become known as someone people can trust and respect. Much of this can be reflected from your website.

Did you know you can google “what is a VA” and get over 250,000,000 links? More important than explaining what a VA is and does is explaining who you are and what you do for your clients. Be very clear when describing all your abilities and the tools you use to enhance them. This isn’t bragging: it’s listing more of the features of your business that can be used to your clients’ benefit.

Don’t print up too much of anything at the start. You’ll need time to define who you are, what you do, and how to present yourself and your business. You need to learn how to fully describe your qualifications. Everything that’s taken place in your life up until now can, in some way, contribute to your life as a VA. Things like:

Education and training
Employment history
Family challenges
Hobbies, sports
Medical challenges
Military affiliations
Travel, moving, etc.

Volunteer work (school, church, community, scouts, etc.)
If you find it very difficult to market yourself, get some help. How? The same way you’d get help creating a website. You’re surrounded by professionals. Use them.

What an exciting time for us! The phrase “Virtual Assistant” is becoming well known, and new possibilities keep emerging. VAs now offer support in areas like coaching, real estate, bookkeeping, public relations, travel, speaking, publishing, photography, writing, desktop publishing, editing, Web development, organization and association management, training, graphic design, concierge, marketing, and consulting. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

The only way to find out if being a VA will work is to try it. Do your homework. There’s a world jam-packed with entrepreneurs waiting to use the services of effective VAs. With your passion and commitment, and IVAA as a support mechanism, it’s practically a slam dunk!

For more information, contact Judy Vorfeld

How Web Designers Sell Themselves

September 21, 2009 By Administrator

500-lionfish By Judy Vorfeld
Are you one of those Web designers who design quite well, but don’t have time to work on your own site? Savvy Web surfers looking for designers expect a great deal from a site offering Web development/design.

Here are some points you should consider if you offer Web development on your site:

Intent
It must say, first page, first screen, etc. It should say exactly what it intends to do to meet the visitors’ needs. See BL Ochman’s WhatsNextOnline.com site, and Mike Fortin’s The Success Doctor.

Initial Appearance
It should be incredibly clean and clear. There should be sufficient white space to make everything look ambient. Keep text in boxes away from the edges. Take a look at Kelly Ward’s Digital K website. Visitors must be able to read the text, and it must look appealing. Avoid placing tiny gray text on a black background, or putting text over such a busy background that it’s not readable.

Load Time
If it doesn’t load quickly, you’ve probably failed. These days, all sites that sell well load quickly. See Jodi Diehl’s Sunfrog Services for an example of good design that loads rapidly.

About us/Contact us
Your site must have an “About Us” area so people can check your credentials. Tell a bit about yourself. It’s okay to have the mission statement on this page, but potential clients want to know about you and your philosophy. It must also provide thorough contact information. Visitors expect a business address and several ways to communicate with the site owner. Look at It’s an Office for example, a site owned by VA Elsbeth Oggert.

Navigation
Text links are great because they’re quick and easy to use. amd search engines love ’em. If you use graphic links, also use text links, and make sure the graphics are optimized. Always have text links as a basic component. Notice how Grant Crowell and Shari Thurow use their text links to advantage at Grantastic Designs.

Building trust. It’s important to provide information and possibly testimonials to show that you are a real person that others appreciate and respect. A good example is Jeannine Clontz, of Accurate Business Services.

Web developers have their work cut out for them. Every visitor will (and should) look for strengths and weaknesses in the developer’s sites. How else can they properly analyze whether or not to hire the company?

If they see even one typo, they’ll assume that the sites developed will have typos. If they see sites that take forever to load, they’ll assume that this is the kind of site the designer creates for his/her clients, and so forth.

If you want your site to sell, focus on usability. References help, but most the important factor is that your site appears to be a model of efficiency and information. In every way. All of the above holds true for any business site, but is absolutely vital for designers and developers.

For more information, contact Judy Vorfeld